Covid 19 cases reach 313  with 13 critical – total citizen quarantine mooted

The number of Covid-19 cases climbed on  Sunday, March 22, to 313, an increase of 68 in 24 hours reports the Ministry of Health (Minsa).

The confirmed death toll remains at three, but a fourth is under investigation while authorities consider mandatory quarantine as people skip social distancing.

Lourdes Moreno, head of Epidemiology, said that 268 people are in home isolation; There are 42 hospitalized patients, and of these 29 are in the ward with moderate symptoms and 13 in intensive care units, in critical condition.

To date  3,099 coronavirus tests have been carried out of which 90% were negative.

Moreno said  that 255 patients are between the ages of 20 and 59 and a five month old baby has been infected

Enrique Lau Cortés, director of the Social Security Fund, said  that they are considering more energetic measures in view of the reality that people do not comply with social distancing  . “They must stay home and protect their families”, he said.

The Minister of Security, Juan Pino, explained said that if there is a total quarantine, departure time will be established for people to buy food and medicine according to the last number of the ID, and they will have two hours only to travel and return to their home.

Adults over 60, regardless of their ID number, can buy between 11:00 am and 1:00 pm

The vice-minister of Health, Luis Sucre announced that the transportation of Health workers has been coordinated so that they can get to their jobs and homes s safely.

Curfew violators
The Minister of Security, Juan Pino, said that the arrests of minors were tripled during the curfew ordered on March 17. On Friday, 9 minors were held on Friday and, 29 on Saturday.

321 adults were detained in the last 24 hours.